The joy of giving is the warmth that fills your heart when you make a positive impact on someone else’s life, knowing that your actions have contributed to their well-being or happiness. As people experience the joy of giving, it often becomes a source of inspiration, motivating them to continue spreading kindness and making a positive impact in the lives of others. Kentucky Power employees experienced this joy through donation and volunteer efforts they organized in each district to give back to their local communities.
Pikeville district donates Employee Activity Committee funds
Giving is better than receiving, so said Derrick Deaton, lead fleet technician. Rather than receive the Employee Activity Committee funds (EAC), typically in the form of a $25 restaurant gift card per employee, he had the idea to donate that fund to local charities.
“As most people know, our community had complete devastation during the flood in 2022,” Deaton said. “Even a year later, there are people still struggling. I think about the kids I see every day that don’t have anything and it is heart breaking,” said Deaton. “I’m grateful to work for a company that gives us a Christmas gift card. But, I felt spending that $25 on a Christmas gift for a child who wouldn’t have one otherwise would make me much happier than a fillet at Texas Roadhouse ever could.”
Deaton mentioned the idea of donating the funds to charities and his coworkers agreed. The committee brainstormed ideas and the district got to vote for their top five charities.
“All I could think about is how happy my daughter is during Christmas to get a gift from Santa,” said Deaton. “If I could give that happiness to just one child, it would mean the world to me. Being on this committee has given me an opportunity to do more, but I have to give credit to the employees in Pikeville for making it happen.”
Pikeville employees donated all of their EAC funds, giving $300 to each of the following charities:
- Meleah’s Memory Toy Drive. Named in memory of the granddaughter of Pikeville retiree, Joey Reed. Joey’s daughter, Meleah’s mother, delivers the toy donations locally to critically ill children at the Mettu Children’s Hospital in Pikeville.
- Pikeville Homeless Shelter
- Water into Wine Food Pantry in Paintsville
- Prestonsburg’s Shop with a Cop
- Inez's Toy Drive. Named for the late mother of senior administrative assistant, Vanessa Phillips. Vanessa organizes a toy drive to donate gifts to underprivileged children on Christmas Eve.
Ashland district employees choose Hope’s Place
Ashland district employees collected stuffed animals, cozy blankets and donations for Hope’s Place Child Advocacy Center. The donations are in effort to bring some comfort to the children who need their services.
“We decided to focus on Hope’s Place this year because it holds a special place in quite a few employees’ hearts,” said Miranda Guy, administrative associate.
Hope's Place is a victim-focused, children's advocacy center that provides a safe atmosphere to lessen trauma and promote healing through a multi-disciplinary team approach for child victims of abuse. When children arrive at the center, they are offered the blanket and stuffed animal to keep.
Hazard district employees donate to the Combs family
The Combs family received keys to their new home, which was constructed with the help of a $150,000 AEP Foundation grant awarded to the Housing Development Alliance based in Hazard. When Hazard employees learned that the family’s Christmas tree and decorations had washed away with their Breathitt County home, which was destroyed in the 2022 flood, they stepped up and donated money to purchase a $400 Walmart gift card to enable the family to purchase new decorations and gifts for their five children.
“It is a blessing to help a family that has gone through so much,” said Brittany Grimm, administrative associate. “I hope that our donation will help provide a joyous first holiday season in their new home.”